Q&A: Can Caffeine Prevent Hair Loss?
Name: Frank
Question: There are a few studies being published regarding caffeine’s effect on blocking DHT topically. As I know the centre keeps up to date with all major breakthroughs, what is your opinion on topical caffeine as a method to prevent hair loss/regrowth potential?
Answer: In January last year a study was carried out and published in the International Journal of Dermatology. The study involved hair follicles being removed from balding men and cultured (artificially grown) in a lab. All the follicles were exposed to testosterone and some were also exposed to caffeine. The hair growth from follicles exposed to testosterone was significantly reduced (as is the case with follicles affected by Male Pattern Hair Loss) whereas not only did caffeine seem to prevent testosterone from negatively affecting hair growth, but it also stimulated growth of the hair.
Unfortunately this does not tell us as much as I’m sure you and I would like to think it does. The fact that this was carried out in a lab on individual cultured hair follicles could be very different to the effects caffeine would have if administered to the scalp of a human. There would need to be many years of research carried out into whether the same effects would be seen on the scalp of a human, and if so, how much would need to be absorbed and whether or not this amount of caffeine would be safe in the body.
*Update 6th November 2009* Alpecin is a fairly new shampoo that markets itself on the back of the research mentioned above. The conditions in place for the clinical study were very different to the conditions when applying a shampoo to the scalp and there is no evidence that indicates the levels of caffeine contained in Alpecin, which is applied externally to the scalp, will have any beneficial effects on hair growth whatsoever. There is no shampoo that has shown evidence of hair growth effects simply because shampoo is not absorbed enough into the scalp to offer the ability to have any significant effect on the hair follicles. For the sam reason it is very unlikely that a shampoo could have an adverse effect on the hair follicles.
*This story was originally posted on 22nd February 2008*
This entry was posted on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 12:07 pm and is filed under hairlossANSWERS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
October 16th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Great news!
August 21st, 2009 at 11:38 pm
Alpecin is a caffeine based shampoo and topical gel which is sold in the UK. I have been using it since March of this year along with Minoxidil/Propecia and the laser comb. My hair is certainly no worse and maybe improved. I have not seen any hairs after washing so it might be helping. I reckon you have to use a shampoo anyway so why not use a caffeine shampoo?
May 1st, 2009 at 12:42 am
Hello I’m ryan i’m new here. I just wanted to drop a note to say hello and i’m pleased to be here.